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Repercussions of stimulant drug ‘ice’ prove more dangerous than other drugs

A potent stimulant ‘ice’ is a highly purified form of methamphetamine that is generally smoked or injected. Although ice elicits various effects, people mostly abuse it for increasing the level of confidence, ecstasy, alertness level and enhancing libido. Because ice is the potent form of methamphetamine, its common effects can last up to six hours and adverse consequences can persist for many days.

This often induces users to calm themselves using substances like alcohol, benzodiazepines and other sedatives. Since the duration and intensity of high depend on the mode and route of administration, one witnesses an immediate and intense high after consuming ‘ice.’ They report headaches, myalgia, depression, paranoia, confusion and hallucinations.

By dramatically increasing the level of hormone dopamine, the abuse of ice is associated with an array of adverse health consequences like dilated pupils, dry mouth, increased sweating, grinding of teeth, poor appetite, tachypnea, tachycardia, repeatedly performing bizarre actions (e.g. scratching or picking at a particular area of the body). Besides the above problems, the snorting of ice can also lead to respiratory issues, such as nasal bleeding or damage.

Alongside, the long-term outcomes of ice use are quite horrendous. Ice psychosis, such as violence, psychosis and bizarre behaviors, are quite common among the chronic and heavy users. People snared in the web of ice often suffer from dental decay, anorexia, mood disorders, psychological problems (e.g. psychosis, paranoia, depression, aggression, etc.), cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, contraction of blood-borne viruses, financial instability and social isolation.

Understanding the key effects of ice

People often smoke, inject, dissolve or swallow ice. Compared to ingestion that takes about 20 minutes to reach the peak, ice, when smoked can trigger an instant high within a short span leading to extreme levels of ecstasy, energy and focus, etc. This is because methamphetamine can drastically elevate one’s dopamine level by up to 1,000 times the normal level. Initially, the users are comparatively more sociable and generally have uplifted mood. However, the frequent use of ice—to experience pleasurable effects—can lead to other less pleasurable consequences, such as dilated pupils, increased heart and breathing rate, reduced appetite, nausea, vomiting and an increased sex drive, as discussed above.

Due to the long duration of the effects of the drug ice, individuals can experience a range of problems, such as antagonistic strokes, poor judgment-making capacity, anxiousness, lack of concentration, difficulty in planning, etc., when the drug starts to wear-off. Some of the withdrawal symptoms include headaches, blurred vision, the feeling of hunger and the feeling to sleep for a day or two. People also complained feeling agitated and having mild psychotic-like symptoms, such as paranoia and hallucinations.

Once an individual starts taking ice chronically at higher doses, he or she is likely to develop increased tolerance toward the drug. Eventually, the person at lower or no doses may start exhibiting the above-mentioned withdrawal symptoms.

When the person starts living with higher doses, anxiousness, hostility, aggressiveness and occasional seizures are likely to become the uninvited guests to annoy him or her at any time. Moreover, the feeling of intense paranoia or psychotic episodes are also quite evident. This phenomenon is caused by release of another neurotransmitter known as noradrenaline responsible for inducing the fight-or-flight response. The chronic and excessive use of ice increases the risk of an overdose, chest pain, heart attack, stroke or cardiac arrest. In the worst-case scenario, a person can also go into the state of a coma or suffer from kidney damage.

Seek proper treatment to reduce the toxicity level of methamphetamine

It is often difficult to break oneself free from such potent and highly toxic drugs. However, with proper guidance and support, one can effectively come out from the deathly effects of meth. However, detoxification from ice can take up to 10 to 14 days, almost twice as long as many other drugs. Moreover, the above-mentioned withdrawal symptoms may often induce users to go back to their old habits. Therefore, it is crucial to keep an eye on the victim to support him or her to abstain from the drug ice and other addictive substances.

If you or your loved one is suffering from meth abuse, contact the Colorado Detox Helpline to get adequate information on treatment. Call at our 24/7 helpline number 866-730-5807 to access details about the various detox centers in Colorado. You can also chat online with our experts for further information.

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